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Boulder teacher wins Fulbright grant to research social justice in South Africa

Arapahoe Ridge's Jode Brexa to travel to Africa early next year

By Ryan Pinkard For the Camera

Posted:
06/22/2013 04:00:00 PM MDT

Jode Brexa (Courtesy photo)

A Boulder high school teacher has been awarded a prestigious grant that will take her nearly 10,000 miles away from home.

Jode Brexa, a teacher at Arapahoe Ridge High School, was awarded a Distinguished Fulbright Award in Teaching grant to conduct research in South Africa, the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board announced last week.

Brexa is one of 17 U.S. citizens who will travel abroad for the Fulbright teaching program this year.

"I'm honored and so excited," said Brexa, who departs for Bloemfontein, South Africa, in January to work for five months.

Brexa will spend much of her time researching, learning and teaching at the University of the Free State, which houses the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice. It is those issues of social justice and cross-cultural understanding that drive Brexa in her work abroad and in Boulder.

As a teacher of English Language Development at Arapahoe Ridge, Brexa most often acts as a co-teacher in classrooms for students from around the world who don't speak English fluently. Arapahoe Ridge also hosts the Boulder Valley School District's Newcomers program, a one-year immersion program for district students recently arrived from out of the country.

"Jode has co-taught with numerous teachers at Arapahoe and the feedback is always that of sincere gratitude," Bludorn said. "I'm anxious to see what she brings back to share with our students and community."

Flagship program

The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries. The program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide.

"It's a very competitive grant," Brexa said. "I thought it was a long shot."

The application alone is an arduous process, as intimidating as it is expensive. Brexa said she had to really consider if she was even qualified, and only proceeded with the support of district leadership and Principal Bludorn. Once the application was submitted in September, she had to wait nine months before she received an answer.

Fulbright recipients are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

"What we're really looking for is someone who is going to represent the best interests of the country," said Josue Barrrera, spokesman for the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. "That's been the crux of this program since it started -- promoting cultural awareness, adaptability and understanding that leads to positive relationships with communities."

On top of her research in Bloemfontein, Brexa will complete a capstone project that she proposed in her application.

The project is called "Self Portraits of Hope" and will be comprised of short narrative movies about rural high schoolers in South Africa who would otherwise be voiceless. She also will make these "digital stories" with her students in Boulder, sharing the videos between both communities to foster her goal of cross-cultural communication.

Broadening perspectives

This kind of work is not new for Brexa. She joined the Peace Corps in the 1980s, which inspired a lifelong passion for intercultural exchange. She speaks four languages and has been to Asia, Europe and Africa.

In the spring of 2010, she spent several weeks in three different schools in and around Dushanbe, Tajikistan, sponsored by the Department of State and the International Research and Exchange Board. Five Tajik teachers visited Boulder that following fall.

Dushanbe is one of Boulder's sister cities, and presented Boulder its iconic Dushanbe Tea House in 1987.

The 30-year educator said she can't overstress the importance of cross-cultural exchange, especially for young global citizens growing up in an ever-connected world.

"If we only see the world from our own narrow perspective, our perceptions of the rest of the world are limited to what we are exposed to by disconnected second-hand accounts," Brexa said. "Through travel, exchange and learning perspectives, it broadens our awareness. I want my students to have an understanding of students who live in a village in Tajikistan, or in rural South Africa. Then they can understand their lives and eventually that promotes diplomacy and peace."

When she returns this time next year, her work will be far from over.

"Part of the conditions are that I have to bring the work back to my school," Brexa said. "I will continue fostering reconciliation and social justice for every student, no matter who they are or where they come from."

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